The Presidential Committee on Flood Relief and Rehabilitation led by Aliko Dangote has provided N250 million as relief assistance to victims of the devastating floods in Benue State. Also, in response to the request by the Benue State Government, the committee has approved the release of one IDP Hostel already completed by the Committee in Benue State to provide temporary shelter for some of the displaced persons. More than 110,000 persons in 24 communities, including Makurdi, have been displaced by the flood in Benue State. The Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Mr. Boniface Ortese, who disclosed this recently, said over 2,769 households were also affected.

He explained that places affected included Achusa, Idye, Wurukum Market, Genabe, Industrial Layout, Demekpe, Wadata Market, Katungu, behind the Civil Service Commission, Agboughul-Wadata among others in Makurdi. “In Achusa, 200 houses were affected with 5,125 persons displaced. In Idye, 217 houses with 5,200 persons displaced. Also, behind the Civil Service Commission, 200 houses were submerged in flood and 5,777 persons were displaced.” At Genabe, 200 houses were affected with 5,021 persons displaced, 218 houses around the Wurukum Market were affected with 1,000 persons displaced, and at Wadata Market, 150 houses were affected and 4,300 persons were displaced.” Aside the donation in Benue, the Dangote-led presidential committee also revealed that it had also donated the sum of N150,000,000 to provide relief assistance to flood victims in Anambra State.

It also released the sum of N118,000,000.00 to NEMA to augment the N1.6 billion released by the federal government for procurement of food and non-food relief materials in aid of the flood victims in the following 16 states: Abia, Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Abuja FCT, Kebbi, Kwara, Lagos, Niger, Ondo, Oyo, Plateau and Sokoto. The committee further revealed that it is currently implementing various projects in the 24 States that were affected by the 2012 nation-wide floods. The rationale behind the projects, according to the committee is to assist the benefiting states to better handle future emergencies, including flooding. The committee at its inauguration by former President Goodluck Jonathan, raised a whopping N11.35 billion for flood victims.

Top on the list of donors at the event were Dangote and the federal government, who donated N2.5 billion each. Dangote, however, said from his N2.5 billion, N200 million had earlier been given to Kogi State Government and N150 million for the running of the secretariat of the committee. Arthur Eze, Tony Elumelu and Jim Ovia donated N1million each and the chief fundraiser, Mike Adenuga donated N500 million. Former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, also announced a donation of N1.8 billion on behalf of the state governors at the rate of N15 million each. Other who made donations were construction giants, Julius Berger, Setraco, Dantata and Sawoe, RCC and other corporate organisations and spirited individuals.